Vision, quality and internationalisation

At Malmö University, research and education should be innovative, multidisciplinary, international, and safeguard the strengths and values that characterise the University. All education should meet the knowledge demands of both individuals and wider society.

Strategy 2022

The University's most important social responsibility is to provide education through which students can develop their ability to critically evaluate knowledge and translate it into action. Malmö University has a unique opportunity to be an open university which invites people to discuss complex and uncomfortable societal issues.

Vision

Malmö University contributes to a sustainable and more equal society through research-based knowledge, critical reflection and a readiness to act.

Core values

Malmö University is founded on the human, democratic and academic values that have emerged from the ideals of an open society, freedom of speech and critical thinking.

Objective

Malmö University provides high-quality education and research through which, in collaboration with other societal actors, it creates, shares and disseminates knowledge to understand, explain and develop society. At Malmö University, the particularities and traditions of different disciplines are respected and given the opportunity to be clearly expressed.

Overarching goals for education and research

To cultivate long-term, nationally and internationally outstanding research which, together with doctoral education, constitutes one third of the University's activities.

Offer education grounded in research, in terms of teaching methods as well as subject matters, which provides the conditions for inclusive and student-active, life-long learning.

Ensure strong, coherent and boundary-crossing international academic environments in which education, research and collaboration are integrated.

Development areas 2018–2022

The following are the most important development areas for Malmö University in its first five-year period, based on the overarching goals for education and research:

Web version of Strategy 2022

Printed version of Strategy 2022

Internationalisation

Internationalisation and diversity have always been core values for Malmö University. As such, to maintain a high standard of teaching and research, we encourage international collaboration.

The University cooperates with academic partner institutes around the globe, striving to ensure favourable conditions for teachers and researchers to foster international collaboration with universities worldwide. Furthermore, students are offered the opportunity to study abroad.

Cecilia Christersson, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement

How we achieve high quality education and research

Malmö University’s activities are to be guided by academic values, the principle of collegiality and student influence that promotes quality.

The University’s collective approach to quality is expressed through the quality system for education and research, which takes into account the various disciplines’ characteristics, differing views on knowledge and individual quality criteria.

All education at the University is to be of high quality and meet the demands for knowledge from both individuals and wider society.

Quality enhancement in education is conducted mainly at the study programme level but also across the University. This work is followed up annually, in part by the University's education board. The University's quality enhancement work is integral to all the activities at the University and based on the following cornerstones:

quality of education;

student influence;

professional development of staff; and

systematic follow-up.

Driving quality within research

External Research Assessment, or ERA19, is an evaluation of the quality of research at Malmö University. The assessment will be carried out during the course of 2019 and focus on the processes driving quality within research. ERA19 aims to contribute to the goals laid out in Strategy 2022, specifically that research should be carried out in cohesive and interdisciplinary academic environments, as well as be internationally outstanding.

New study programmes

Before a new study programme is launched, it is reviewed in several stages to ensure that it meets the criteria necessary to maintain a high quality of education. The aspects subject to review include the course syllabi and access to guidance and support. The study programme should also give students a solid foundation for utilising their knowledge in professional life and enable them to continue their studies at higher levels. The University also conducts reviews to ensure that the study programme will meet the demands of both students and the labour market.

Study programme evaluations

Our study programmes are evaluated both within the University and through external reviews by the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ). In 2016, the Swedish parliament decided on a new evaluation system. Previously, UKÄ reviewed the attainment of learning outcomes in degree projects. The new system entails UKÄ also reviewing the University's quality assurance work in education. At Malmö University, we work continuously on course and programme evaluations and follow up on their results in various forums.

Student influence

Working continuously to improve and develop student influence is one of the cornerstones of quality enhancement work at Malmö University. We encourage students to take an active role in the further development of their education. The students' participation in the implementation, evaluation and development of education is crucial in ensuring its quality. Student influence is an important tool for the University's work in promoting democratic values; student co-determination reinforces both the study environment and the students' learning processes. There are three student unions at Malmö University: the Malmö Student Union, the Dentistry Student Union and the Malmö Doctoral Student Union.

Systematic follow-up

In order to ensure that the University meets external demands for educational quality and internally formulated principles for quality, systematic follow-ups are regularly carried out. The University's study programmes are continuously audited through measures such as course and programme evaluations and student and alumni surveys. In addition, several key performance indicators are regularly monitored, including the number of applicants per study place, admissions, as well as completion of courses and degrees. The results of the evaluations, surveys and quality enhancing initiatives are discussed in various educational bodies at the University, in which students are also represented.